


Zero

by MoonLikeCYJ



Category: GOT7
Genre: 2Jae, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, M/M, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, music therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:20:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26777254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonLikeCYJ/pseuds/MoonLikeCYJ
Summary: Youngjae isn't happy the way he lives, he regrets declining a job offer for his dream job. After talking about it with his dear friend he decides to go through the procedure to travel back in time to that moment. Once there and after accepting the job offer he gets to know that there was more at risk than the company told him while preparing for the time-travel.
Relationships: Choi Youngjae/Im Jaebum | JB
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Realization

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone~
> 
> I am once again back with a new story I actually wrote last year in November. But here it is now hope you will enjoy this story ^^

It wasn't what Youngjae would call a relaxing day. It stressed him out the most, when he had to stand in front of an lots of people, especially an entire class and talk about time travelling, more than anything else. It also didn't help that he was one of the fewest and maybe even the only one, at their company who still hasn't used his chance to travel in time. But where would he go to the future and see if life would get better at some point? Or go back in time and stop himself from one of his biggest regrets? Probably the later. Yes, most probably he would go to the past. Yes that would be for sure his choice.

Please, don’t get him wrong but his, probably biggest regret in his entire life was and still is when he declined a job offer for his dream job. A job he had studied and worked hard for years. But here he was now in front of the still closed door to a classroom full of students awaiting his arrival.

Taking one last deep breath he put on a smile on his face and opened the door.

“Ah yes! Everyone just like I told you earlier we have a guest tutor today. Choi Youngjae, thank you for coming.” The tall and lean teacher spoke once he saw Youngjae entering the classroom.

They both were close friends and thus, the teacher had asked for a favour. Young people these days are more curious than ever to know all about time travelling and so it was just ideal for Mark to ask Youngjae if he could come and speak in front of his class. Youngjae hated it but still ended up agreeing to the request since Mark had always been there for him.

“Hello everyone and thank you for inviting me today Mr. Tuan. I think you all know why I'm here so we will just jump right into the theme, time-travel.” He saw curiosity in so many eyes of the students sitting in front of him. So many already looked like they had tons of questions even before he started. He remembered how it had been for himself and how more and more questions had came up when he first learned about time-travel.

“So as you may know, we can travel back in time since a few decades ago. At first our company didn’t really know how they actually found the solution and what risks it bearded. Now we know how to prevent certain risks and what to look out for. Not everyone is suitable to travel in time. It may be their health, that they are not strong enough physically and or mentally. Both needs to be stable because it's a tough journey and one everyone should think carefully about to do because in the end it's just a once in a lifetime opportunity.” One particular student started shifting in his seat, eager to be able to ask questions. Another student further back in the room looked rather bored out of the window. A brief silence fell over the room. Youngjae started walking up and down in front of the class.

“It's a once a lifetime opportunity and everyone should think carefully about when and where they want to go. Either ways may seem like a good decisions but consider carefully. If you decide to go back and redo something however big or small it may be, imagine how big of an impact it may be to the future or if you go to the future and you end up at a place, you really dislike. Would it all have been worth it? You might sometimes get thoughts that it only can get better or it used to be better. But you should never forget about the here and now. The person you are now and the one you used to be or will be are different. I don't want to tell you not to travel in time but don't make any quick decisions because in the end you will remember it all. Time travel is not a solution to problems, they will stick to you till you get over them.” Youngjae didn't know himself where all those words and his confidence suddenly came from but suddenly all his own emotions and thoughts came flowing right out of him. It surprised and even shocked him a little. He hoped that his friend who was quietly sitting on a window isle didn't think too much of his words. A small smile on his lips, it looked like he was hiding something behind said smile.

“I know you all got tons of questions so who wants to be the first?” And so Youngjae answered each and every question he could as truthfully he was able.

“OK! You all, one last question and then we already have to say our goodbyes to this gentleman.” Mark spoke after a while interrupting the never ending flow of interesting questions.

“It's up to you Mr. Choi who gets to ask the last question.” Mark spoke to Youngjae and to his class.

“Well then, let's see. You in the last row what is your last question.” he said to the student who up till then looked rather bored but whose hand had suddenly shot up after hearing it going to end after the next question.

“If you haven't already what would you choose? Go back in time or go to the future?” Youngjae hadn't thought, that the questions he would get asked would be about his own opinion. And even though he had asked himself the same question, a few times already he hadn't thought some youngsters would suddenly be curious about this as well.

“Well, to be honest I haven't used my opportunity so far but I probably would go back in time to change a decision I've made. I know that by doing so a lot of things would change, the man who stands in front of you all probably wouldn't be here.” While just saying this, his own thoughts drifted away. To the what ifs and how his life could be right now if he had chosen differently in the past. If that work would really and truly make him happy or not. That has been the thing that had kept him from using his opportunity till that moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later Youngjae sat opposite of Mark waiting for their dinner to be served. Mark had invited him to eat together as a thank you for him coming and talking in front of all his young students.

“So the way you talked at the end made me wonder if you really still regret not accepting the job at the clinic what was it five years ago? And don't even try to tell me otherwise.” Mark spoke while leaning slightly over the table. His face showed an expression of concern. Concern for his dear friend. A sigh left Youngjaes lips as he turned his eyes away from Mark. Each day he lived and worked at the time travel agency and each passing day he felt more stressed than fulfilment from his work. But he also knew that he maybe also wouldn't be happy even if he worked in the clinic. The payment for sure wouldn't be as good as it was now and who knows what could have happened after joining the clinic. The work he did now was stable, stressful but stable. Thanks to his this work he could also support his parents, and he didn’t know if he would be able to do the same if he had chosen differently.

“Did you ever regret something each passing day? So that every day you have thoughts of what ifs and what would it be like if you'd have chosen differently? I do, maybe not every day but almost.” His eyes followed the movements he saw through the window. It had started raining when he had left the school grounds. Raindrops were now running down the glass window, he followed some drops how they made their paths from the top to the ground.

“l want to be able to say I am happy but right now that would be a lie.” Youngjaes eyes drifted once again back to Mark. “But then I am also scared. Scared of how much would change just from my simple decision. Like we wouldn't meet the way we did. Our friendship we have now wouldn't probably exist in the way it is now. It would only be there, if when I go to my past I would go out and look for you and be the one starting to want to get to know you. To be your friend. Imagine how creepy that would be for you.” A silence fell over the duo. The silence was interrupted when their waiter stepped next to their table and served them their meals.

“You know, I do get what you mean but I am sure if you'd step towards me I wouldn't be able to say no, not to a person like you. Who knows, maybe the past me would even fall for you.” The last sentence he just said, left Mark’s lips with a sly smile.

“Eww, never going to happen!” exclaimed Youngjae, “Thanks to you I now have images in my head I did not ask for!” Both erupted with loud laughter.

“But I am honest with you now, why don't you go through with the procedure of the time travel? Like if you can't life without me then you will know where to find me. But I'd rather see you being happy then the way you are now. I know you well enough to see that the smile you put on in front of my class wasn't an honest one and I couldn't help but feel sad. So I really wish for you to be happy, you deserve it so much.” A soft smile appeared on both of their faces. Without anymore words both dug into their meals.

A comfortable silence fell over them only the noises from their forks and knifes were heard as well as the noises from the other customers. How comfortable the silence was it left space for Youngjae’s thoughts to wander.

What if he would go back and fail? What if he would get fired shortly after starting?

This was something Youngjae hated about himself. Over thinking anything and everything about himself. It wasn't that his confidence was low, well maybe it was. It was just that if he did something he knew he could, he had no problem with going through it but if it was something that left open so many options of possibilities. So much could go wrong, so much could turn badder than they were now.

“What if...” he started speaking wanting to share his concern he saw how Mark rolled his eyes at even just the beginning of his sentence.

“You will never know if you don't try. What do you have to lose anyway? Is there really something you would miss?” his friend said seriously. “And before you tell me, don't even try to put me as an excuse here.” Youngjae had to take some time and think over what his dear friend just had said and asked. But he was right the people he would miss, he could meet them again in one or another way, it would work out again he was sure. And the whole business about him supporting his parents wasn’t something they had accepted at first. His mother had declined the first few times he had tried giving them money. But as their family business got worse there had been no other way for her and for his father to accept his help. Who knows maybe if he choose differently, that problem would also turn out differently? And didn’t they always want him to follow his dreams? Weren’t his parents the ones probably most upset when they heard he had declined the job offer and gotten the job at the time-travel company? How his father had looked at him concerned and had asked him if that was what he really wanted? What if he had decided to go for what he wanted instead of what would be best for everyone?

“OK, I will go through the whole procedure to check if I am even capable to do the travel.” A sigh escaped Mark’s lips once more.

“If you aren't fit for it this then how on earth are some of your older clients able to do this?” Youngjae knew that nothing he could say would change Mark’s mind. But did he really even want to change it? His friend had showed him, that he deserved to be happy, to be loved, deserved to do what he wanted. That he would support him through this even if it meant their friendship would be at a risk?

“Youngjae I think there is not one single person I'd wish to be happier than you. I really hope you will take this chance and see how things will go after your decision. I mean it can't get worse right?”

After their meal both strolled through the still pouring rain, towards their cars. Just before Youngjae wanted to bid his goodbye and enter his car Mark stopped in front of him.

“I hope you know that I don't want to get rid of you but I really mean it. When I say I don't want to see a fake smile from you like I did today, I mean it. You were such a cheerful person when we first met and when I see you now it just makes me sad. You probably thought about all the what ifs that could possibly happen or everything that could go wrong. But I really hope that with you possibly going back and be able to decide differently you find your own happiness.” Youngjae couldn't hold back anymore and hugged his friend. A person who knew by going back and changing history, their shared history would change too. And there it was again, the fear of change that came up in his head again. But then again Mark had said the truth. Youngjae knew where he would find the other.

“Thank you for trying to help me and convince me in trying it out. Thanks Mark and just know that you just found yourself a follower who will convince you in being friends again for sure!” he exclaimed while still hugging his friend. Not long after his arms had closed around Mark, the others' arms also found their way around him and held him close. If people would see them hanging on to each other like they were, they would probably misinterpret them in being couple something both would end up laughing loudly. By the time they both let go of each other, they were drenched from the rain but neither of them cared.

“I will write to you when I can get my last appointment and let's meet up before it, to have one last meal in the here and now. And just that I said it at least once, I am glad to have a friend like you Mark.” They both stepped away from each other. Mark brushed through Youngjae’s now wet hair a soft smile on his face before really bidding his goodbye and entering his car. Youngjae stood there for a few moments longer. He felt warm, meeting up with Mark had not just felt good but it also helped him to step out of his comfort zone and try out something he for so long had been too scared.


	2. The Tests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who’s back with a new chapter ^^
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and are ready to get into more of it ^^

Weeks passed, Youngjae had to go through several physical and mental tests like he knew too well.

Usually he was one of those who took the mental test with their clients. But this time he was the one sitting on the other side of the table and be the one examined. 

He disliked the fact that his coworkers, who he got to know quite well over the past five years would be the one's testing him. He had a long talk with his boss the day after he had met Mark and his boss had only agreed on his request if he would still work till the end of the month so they would have time to look for a replacement for him.

So he sat there in the waiting room, somewhat ready before he would get the result to see if he could proceed with the time travel or not. He had hated that during the past days, everyone he used to work with seemed to have had glimpses into his files. Seen what he has been through and what his goals used to be. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them but it was much to know that all of his coworkers who wanted to, could look into his file. Into everything their company had found out about him through the tests, but also through social media and even from how he had worked for and with them. Even if he feared the next step that was waiting for him, he was now determined. Going through all the tests, the interviews had just made him more sure that this was the right thing for him to do. That even if he didn’t know what would await him if he accepted the job offer, he wanted to at least try. The one thing he feared was hearing about his results.

What if the result would state that he wasn't suitable for the travel? He knew he wasn't the most athletic person and his mental health also hasn't always been at its best but he was OK now. Youngjae couldn't help but be a bit edgy. His fingers kept on playing with his sleeves, pulling it over one hand then rolling it back and all over again.

How long has he been waiting now already? A glance on the clock on the wall opposite of him showed it only has been roughly 10 minutes since he was led to this room. He knew when the first possible appointment for the time travel would be as well that the person who would be waiting with his results was between two coworkers he had gotten close with over the past 5 years.

As much as Youngjae knew it usually would be around one week later so he still would have time to meet up with Mark after this. During all the tests he had to take in the past few days he realized how exhausting it was. Up till then he couldn't understand the people who told him that when the last test would arrive they were often too tired to give their all. And then in the end weren’t allowed to go through with the time travel because of this.

"Choi Youngjae? You may enter room 7 now." sounded from the small speakers right next to the door he first entered the room. Room 7 was one the furthest down the hallway. This was a part of their agency only the clients and the 7 final examines where allowed to enter. While standing up Youngjae could feel how his nerves got ahead of him and how his hands got all sweaty. Trying to calm himself down by taking deep breaths he walked the hallway down. Sadly, it didn’t help much. So he tried to distract himself with observing the hallway.

One thing Youngjae noticed was that each number on the door was written in another font. As if the examines themselves had chosen a font they liked for the room they were inside most of the time.

"Get yourself together Choi Youngjae, you aren't here to think over why they all have different fonts, it doesn't matter to you." he softly muttered to himself while walking further down the hallway. When he finally reached the door to room 7, he took one more deep breath. He didn't know exactly who would be his final examine, but he was somewhat glad that it could only be one of the two he knew a bit better. 

‘One last breath and then you will know. Don't get your hopes up too high for the case it won't work but still hope for the best result.’ he thought while closing his eyes. When Youngjae finally opened the door to said room an enormous smile greeted him.

"Youngjae! Finally, I hope you know that me and Jinyoung have been arguing over who will be the one to give you your result." spoke the tall man who was standing in the middle of the room which looked rather chaotic. Different files and papers were lying on the floor surrounding the male.

"Excuse my chaos here but you know how much workload we sometimes have but I couldn't say no to the boss when he asked me to take over your file a few days ago. Poor Jinyoung is still angry with me for not giving it to him." The man kept on talking while Youngjae was still standing in the open doorway.

"Thank you Jackson, for taking my file. I hope me applying didn't cause you more workload than you already have." Youngjae finally said while fully entering the room and closing the door behind him. With a big grin and some hand movements the other probably wanted to tell that it was nothing likely.

"Me and Jinyoung have been betting on, when you would come to us, ever since we started working here. Did you know that you are the only person who works here, who hasn't travelled in time yet? Like really the only person! Isn’t that insane? Almost everyone else, who works here, travelled to the future to be here, but as much as I got from your file you want to go back in time, five years right?" Jackson settled on the floor surrounded by all his files.

Youngjae didn't know if he should join him on the floor or if he should take a seat on one chair.

"Take a seat here my friend. I have everything here and it shouldn't take us too long to finish your last test. But I can already tell you, that you don't have to worry at all your results till now look more than fine." Youngjae wondered if the male in front of him always was this talkative with their clients or if it was because they knew each other.

"So, now I am all ready for you to have our last test, then to discuss each result with you and in the end fix your appointment with the techs." The techs were the highest workers who were the ones who operated the machines which were located in one of the lowest floors of their agency another part of it Youngjae never has stepped a foot in, up till now.

"Youngjae tell me how all the tests and examinations went for you. How you felt and even if I know some bits as to why you want to travel in time and to where you want to go." the dark-haired male spoke now sounding more serious than Youngjae has ever heard him before. He hadn't thought that he would get asked how the past few days had went by for him. He had never had to ask his clients anything likely it just hasn't been in his protocol so it now made sense to him, that a question like that was left up till now.

"Well, some more challenging than I had thought but all together it went well I guess. But after each test I felt like sleeping for an entire day. I never thought it would be this exhausting and will never take it lightly again when some clients turn up tired to their appointments with me." Youngjae started speaking while still standing in front of Jackson. After hesitating for a while longer he settled next to Jackson on the floor, he rather was sitting next to him than in front of him. He leaned back onto the chair looking up to the ceiling he didn't want to read his files even if he was slightly curious about them. It hit him then that if everything went well, he wouldn’t have to talk their clients anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relieved Youngjae closed the door to the room 7 after bidding Jackson goodbye. They didn't talk that much longer but went over all of Youngjaes tests about how he had done and how his final result was. To Youngjaes surprise the male told him he had got one of the highest results Jackson had ever seen since he had started working in their agency. He had said that it might have helped him to know some procedure already beforehand. After changing from sitting on the floor to the chairs Jackson had pulled up a tablet where he was able to see all free appointments available.

"You'd already be able to do it today or even tomorrow or wait till next week." Youngjae had asked if he could make a call before his final decision, he really wanted to keep his promise to Mark and have a final dinner in the here and now before he would go back and then have to see how he would be able to get close to Mark again. Something the other understood and made a note so when Youngjae would make a call to the registration they would know about this already.

Once he was alone, he made a short call to Mark and they decided to have their dinner on the same night, so he would be able to get an appointment the next day. Youngjae hadn't thought that it would go this fast that after getting his results he would still have time to prepare himself but like this he had less than 24 hours to inform his parents who he hasn't told up till that moment about his decision. How would they react hearing that he will go back in time and change his future so drastically? To go back to that time and do what his heart tells him was right? He hoped that they would understand him, just like they had done when he had taken a job they knew he only took because of them.

Walking out of the agency he picked up his phone once more and called his mother. He knew she would be at home while his father would still be at work. It would be easier just telling her than both, he could almost hear his father already saying he shouldn't throw away the life he was living now so easily.

His father had changed ever since their family business had started to depend on his income as well. The father that at first had looked at him concerned for throwing away his dream job, would now probably not understand his choice anymore. He loved both of his parents a lot and in the end it had been his choice but it also hadn’t been easy on him back then. Knowing that their family business was slowly running badder and badder to the point they had to close. To the point where his father had to look for a new job and almost like Youngjae had started doing a job he didn’t really enjoy but helped to pay their rent. His father had turned from the man who supported him from applying to university in the music department to the man he was now. The man who knew that without his son they barely would be able to pay all the bills that seemingly kept growing and growing.

Youngjae knew that his parents only meant the best and wished for him to life a comfortable life without having to worry about anything. But that made him end up where he was now.

Where he had to decide to go against their thoughts and do what he wanted. The phone rang and rang while he kept on thinking how to tell his mother what he was about to do on the next day. It kept on ringing until he heard his mother informing the caller that she wasn't able to pick up the phone at the moment. With a sigh he decided to leave a message on her voicemail.

"Hi Mom, I know this might sound like out of nowhere. But I decided to use my chance in travelling in time. I have my appointment tomorrow already. I know you and Dad probably won't understand why I am doing this now but the past five years I have lived a life that didn’t make me happy. It isn't the life I wish to continue living. I just wanted to tell you that but I also love you and I hope you will understand me. That when I go back and decide differently you and Dad still will support me. I love you and well see you soon."

With a deep sigh he pressed the red button to end his message. He wondered that when she heard this message if she would call him or if they would just turn up in front of his small apartment? He could imagine his Dad getting angry at him and demanding to see him. But now it wasn't about what they wanted for him anymore but what he wanted.

What he longed for to reach.

He continued walking to the subway, passing so many of his coworkers which all waved at him. Did they know that he will soon go back to the past and not be with them anymore? Once he was in the past, they would forget about him anyway but in a way the thought alone hurt him. Being forgotten by people he worked alongside for the past five years. Their shared memories all gone and would only keep on existing in his own mind. Five years gone just like that. He had heard and read about this how the people who went to the past and changed something were forgotten by the people they wouldn’t meet because of the change. How Mark won’t know him anymore. 

When he reached the subway station, his gaze wandered to the big screen above one of the sliding doors. At that moment it showed the news, out of curiosity he put in his headphones and searched his phone for the app where he would be able to tune into the news and see what was going on.

"Sad news have reached us once again from another High School here in Seoul. Once again a student has taken his own life, leaving a letter to his parents as well as one to his friends. In said letters he describes how lonely he has felt and how no one seemingly has seen how he really felt. Resources tell us that said student has been in therapy for depression in the renovated clinic Heart and Music and that he had taken several options to help him out of depression. But seemingly without any effect. This is already the 5th suicide of a minor only this week happening here in Seoul. Many people speak out their concern of all the open registers and rankings which puts young people under a lot of pressure. Up till now there has never been a change in our system but officials have been letting news out that they have been discussing this matter for the past few days already." Shocked Youngjae kept on listening to the news. It wasn't the first time for him to hear something like this but it never left him unmoved. He couldn't understand how someone could take one's own life, to see it as the only option left. He kept on watching the news and saw that a familiar face appeared on the screen the founder of the clinic the student had been under therapy. He probably had been asked for a statement from the clinic as to what had gone wrong. Youngjae couldn't listen further.

The clinic mentioned in the news was the one he had gotten the job offer five years ago from, back when it first opened. It was now a clinic that didn't just offer music therapy like it did back then but also other medical fields. Other departments, orther treatments. How much that clinic had changed as well just within the past five years. He had heard that the music therapy was now only a small department in the clinic itself.

Once he reached his apartment, he fell onto his couch and almost instantly fell asleep. The past few days had been draining with the tests as well his workload. His last thought before falling asleep were about the news he had heard on his way home.

"I just hope that I'm really up to help people. Hearing news like this is so sickening." he muttered to himself before his eyes closed and he went off into a deep dreamless slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day arrived faster than he thought it would. It all passed by him in a blur, him going to the agency in the morning to give them his most recent files of clients he had worked on, his final papers were done faster than he liked.

When it was midday, he knew that he had one last official appointment with his boss. A meeting the man had wished to have when Youngjae had told him about his wish of taking his chance to travel in time. And so he stood there at 1PM the secretary had told him he could step inside, their boss was already waiting for him. His thoughts were circling once again, he really was about to do this, take the final step.

He had turned his phone off after eating lunch with Mark for the last time like this. The older had wished him good luck and that he would hunt him down if he wouldn't try to get close to him again in the past. Up till then he hadn't received a message nor a call from his parents, he could only imagine how disappointed they probably where in him. But he hoped that one day they would accept the choice he was about to take now and in the past. That they would support him to reach his dream.

He knocked on the door and heard a low "Come in." only shortly after. His heart pounded like crazy in his chest, how come he was only now getting so nervous? How come up till that moment during all the tests he was somehow able to move normally but now each step he had to take seemed like a mile he had to run?

"Ah! Youngjae on time like always. You know I am sad to have to bid goodbye to you. Knowing that when you return to the past, you won't be working for us anymore. But I hope with your choice you will be able to find what makes you happy. You've done a great job for us and I couldn't say enough praise for you, the clients who have worked with you never said a word of discomfort when you took their tests." his boss said while being seated in his big armchair behind his mahogany table. The older man looked at Youngjae with a smile, a smile that showed pride.

"I remember when you first started working for us and everything still was new for you and how I once found you after working hours going through all our report analysis to create templates for yourself to be able to work even better on the next day. I think I have never had an employee that our clients have talked as highly about than you. The test you had to take of them was one of the most tiring ones mentally and it almost seemed that each client that took it with you passed it easily and with a smile on their lips." Slowly his boss stood up and gestured Youngjae to take a seat on a comfortable chair in front of his table. Hearing all the praise that left his bosses lips Youngjae couldn't help but feel shy a bit, how come he hasn't heard anything likely up till now and only got to hear it at this moment? Yes, sure some clients had said thank you to him, left the testing area with a laughter but not once in the past five years has he heard this from his boss. It felt good but also weird in a way. Why did he only say it now, did he try to convince him staying talking like this?

"Thank you for saying so boss. It was an honour to work for you and for this agency. I've learned a lot during the past years, not just about work but also about myself. What happiness really means to me." Youngjae spoke after sitting down, almost drowning in the cushioning of the chair, he probably hasn't sat in a chair as soft before. It almost felt like he could get sucked into the cushioning. Out of one shelf, his boss took out two files, one thick and one thin.

“Youngjae we have to go through two more files before I can allow you to the machine this afternoon. The first file is let's say your resignation as well as you will see on the last page, the file for your badge where you have to sign before giving it back to me. This is just precautions because you can't imagine how often we had to get new badges because they were lost or just never returned. And the second file is all about the risk a time travel could bring or did in the past. It's quite thick as you can see I will give you some time to read through carefully, if at anytime you have a question please don't hesitate asking me I will stay in here with you but will try to get some work done while you're reading through the files.” His boss said, while standing up taking the two files and walking towards Youngjae to give them over to him. After he took them he lay the first and thinner file on top opening it and reading through it. It was just like his boss had said the file that documented that Youngjae wanted to leave their company. But on the second page he found a paragraph that left him with questions. With a lost look on his face, he turned in his seat to look at his boss.

“Yes Youngjae what is your question?” his boss said while still having a small smile on his lips. He hadn't returned to his table but was now standing in front of the big window, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Sir, here on the second page it says that after signing this paper I am not allowed to talk about our company at all anymore. What does this mean? Up till now I was able to openly talk about it to anyone I know I've asked you this before to make sure.” Youngjae spoke. He couldn't understand how it came that while he worked at the company, he could talk about his work to anyone without any consequences but after returning to the past he wouldn't.

“Well for your case, you're going back in time. To a time when we still haven't fixed a small problem which we have now. What matters the most is that we get to that point on our own. So we had to put this into this contract.” With a nod to show that he got that, Youngjae returned his attention to the files that lay in front of him. Without further questions he signed the first file shortly after and take out his badge from his bag. After doing so he stepped towards his boss's desk giving him both.

“You'll receive a copy of both contracts with you. You can't take too much things with you but we always make sure that our travellers have at least the most important documents with them.”

'Caution please read this file carefully, if by anytime you have any questions please reach out to our employee that provided you with this file. After reading it please sign it on the last paper with the date and return it to the employee. Notice that without this you won't be allowed to go through with the time travel.'

Just the first paragraph on the file made his mind swirl. He hasn't heard about a file that their clients had to sign on the day of the travel. No one has ever told him anything likely. The thickness of the file also surprised him. All he knew about the time travel was that it was at its safest point now, that the risk were almost to zero. So how came that there was a file this thick?

"Do you already have a question?" his boss's voice startled him for a second he had forgotten where he was and had also forgotten that his boss was probably watching him.

"No, well I am just confused. I've been told that time travel is as safe as it can possibly be now, so how come there still is a file as thick as this?" His eyes searched those of his boss but he had now turned his back to Youngjae looking out of the window towards the city that lay underneath him.

"We still have to inform every traveller of any possible risks that could happen and have happened before. It may is now safer than it ever was but it still concerns your life. One wrong move during the travel could leave the traveller with damages. This didn't happen in a long time now but like I said we have to inform you about the risks. Because if something goes amiss and you or one of our clients come back at us because of it, we have their signature saying that they knew about the risks that could happen." Slowly his boss turned once more to look at Youngjae. The look on his face was now harder to read than ever. Youngjae couldn't help but get a weird feeling in his stomach. Did he not tell him everything?

Minutes passed like that, neither of the two spoke, Youngjae read carefully through each paragraph, getting more concerned after each passing one, his boss who had returned to his desk was typing something on his computer. His fingers moved on the board fast, a scowl was now on his face. It was well known to all employees that their boss had certain tasks he really disliked but couldn't leave them to an employee as well.

Once he reached the final page he could see that the sun was soon going to set down already, the light in the office was now on, on a low basis supporting the sunlight that still reached it. Youngjae knew that this was something their high-tech agency was able to do without anyone having to press a button.

“Sir, I've finished reading the file. It's a lot to think but I do not have any questions regarding the risks that are listed and explained.” Youngjae spoke after sorting out his thoughts. It almost felt for him like in his mind there were a dozen question-marks dancing around. But he understood everything that was written in the file and the questions obviously weren’t ones his boss would be able to answer.

“Good, so once you give it back to me with a signature I will get you a copy of the last pages of each file, the rest will be uploaded to your digital files. Which you maybe know will still be available for you even if you go to the past.” Youngjae hadn't known this. He knew that the agency opened a digital file for each client but he had thought that was only for themselves and not their clients. Which was good in a way for both sides, like he hadn't thought how that would be about any files he would sign now, how he would still have them in the past.

Shortly after, his boss walked him out of his office calling for his secretary to lead Youngjae to the tech-floor of the Company. Each department and even floors had different names the employees called, so it was easier to make appointments and also meet up with each other. He knew the tech-floor was the heart and brain of the agency. Where the machines lay for the time travel, to be honest Youngjae didn't know how the machines looked like. Yes, sure he got informed how the whole procedure would go how he would be dressed for the travel, where he would end up, was specifically measured and now he also got to know what he was able to take with him on this journey, a small bag of a size of a folder. His clothes he would have to change and most of his things would stay behind and sent to his parents. Because as much Youngjae got from the big file was that time was relative, there wasn't just the here and now he was in and was walking towards his past, no there were several here and now happening next to each other.

Entering the changing room he was lead to was where his nerves got to him once again. While trying to pull off his shirt he felt how shaky his hands had suddenly gotten. The clothes he was supposed to wear lay in front of him. They were nothing special a black T-shirt with black pants. Two clothing he would have been able to bring if he had been told so before.

“The last big step you have to take now, Choi Youngjae.” spoke a voice behind him, a voice Youngjae knew and started to smile.

“Jackson how come you're here?” he said while turning to the other male. With a shrug of his arms he left the question unanswered and put his hands on Youngjaes shoulder.

“I'll be your moral support today. Seeing you off because I didn't see or heard anyone seeing you off.” The last sentence the other male just said, hurt Youngjae, so his parents didn't come, he had thought that if they weren't able to reach him at all, they would show up at the agency he had wanted to talk to them both directly and not through the phone but since neither of them came his decision about going only grow bigger.

“How nice of you Jackson thank you for coming and 'seeing me off'” Youngjae spoke while smiling at the other. Even if they haven't really been close over all the year it still meant a lot to him that Jackson came and wanted to see him off. Youngjae had often skipped any meals or outings with his coworkers. Had often preferred to just go home and be on his own.

Not long after and some discussion with Jackson how he should leave the changing room for Youngjae to change comfortably, Youngjae stepped out of the changing room onto the same floor he had walked on earlier. He could smell how new the clothes he wore.

“You almost look like a new person already.” Youngjae heard once he had closed the door behind him. It wasn't like he wore old clothes, but rather clothes that were too big for him. He wanted just tell Jackson so as another person stepped towards the two.

“Choi Youngjae?” the newcomer asked to which Youngjae nodded and stepped forward.

“We will proceed to the cabin now, Mr. Wang here can't accompany you any further. So if you wish to say your goodbye now is the time to do so.” the employee that Youngjae had never seen up till now said rather coldly. Thus Youngjae turned to Jackson who looked at him smiling.

“Thank you for coming and well trying to help me relax a bit.”

He spoke earnestly. He hadn't thought that any of his coworkers would come and see him off but that clearly wasn't the case, because when they stepped through the next door Youngjae was greeted by a room full of people he had worked with for people he had worked with for the past five years. He got hugged and patted his head while passing each of them. He couldn't say what he felt right at that moment if it was sadness or happiness that flooded through him.

"There was no way we wouldn't say goodbye to you." spoke Jackson when Youngjae passed the last person who had hugged him tightly. "Not a single person who has worked with you and still is working here wanted to miss the chance to say goodbye to you and wish you all the best. We all know that it has been hard on you. But we also hope that with you going back you will be able to do the things you always wanted to." with this Jackson hugged Youngjae now as well. He hadn't prepared himself for anything like this. He could feel his own emotion getting over himself. How all the stress that had built up in him now came out, how he also felt relieve coming up in him. It felt strange knowing that all these people came to see him off.

"Really thank you all. And I am also sorry for leaving like this." Youngjae didn't know what to say anymore but the smile that had crept onto his face probably showed how much they all had moved him with just showing up.

"Go now. Be well and we all wish you the best to reach your dream." were the last words Youngjae heard before he turned around, taking one deep breath before reaching for the doorknob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was the second chapter ^_^
> 
> What do you think so far about it? And soon we will be going back in time and let me just say this, things will get confusing for Youngjae ^_^
> 
> Have a nice day and stay safe
> 
> Mona

**Author's Note:**

> And this was the first chapter already~  
> Hope you liked it and new chapter should be up (hopefully) soon  
> Take care and stay safe everyone
> 
> Mona


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